Keane expects goals from Edwards

21 February 2010 10:10

The 31-year-old rifled a long-range shot past the outstretched right arm of Wednesday goalkeeper Lee Grant on his return to the starting line-up.

It was his first league goal since April 2007 and the timing could not have been better for Ipswich, who jumped out of the drop zone and above their opponents in the table.

"He was fresh and hungry and he has that in his locker," said Keane, who brought Edwards to Ipswich after their stint together at Sunderland.

"He has goals in his locker and I am surprised he has got scored more for us. But as soon as he hit it, it had goal written all over that."

Keane was pleased with the result and the response from his team following some strong criticism from the manager after their midweek defeat to struggling Peterborough.

But he maintained his side must be more ruthless after watching them once again squander a number of second-half chances to safeguard the points.

"The result was a good reaction from Tuesday night," Keane said.

"The game should have been dead and buried and we put ourselves under pressure by missing chances."

Prior to the game Ipswich had squandered more points from winning positions, 22, than any other in the Championship.

And as Wednesday pushed forward in search of an equaliser in the second half, Keane's men could have ended the contest far earlier.

Damien Delaney headed against the bar, Jon Walters had a goal disallowed for a push and a number of teasing crosses went wasted.

"The problem hasn't been the goals we've conceded," said Keane. "It is the fact that we haven't finished teams off.

"What you've seen today has been the problem all season. We haven't been killing the game off with the second and third goals.

"We had opportunities when we were breaking and you put yourself under pressure.

"But we defended well enough and that was enough to win the game."

Keane's opposite number, Alan Irvine, was satisfied with his side's efforts but admitted they lacked the quality throughout the game.

"We are very disappointed. It was a big game for us and there is no hiding from that," he said.

"It was a game which were desperately hoping to win. The lads tried hard enough and worked hard enough and I can't fault them for that. But we perhaps didn't show enough composure or quality on the ball."

With the team deeply embroiled in a relegation battle, Irvine is anxious to see how his players react mentally under the increasing pressure.

"I am as worried as I have been," he said. "I have said all along that we need six wins and I am more worried about the fact that that is another game gone and we still need six wins.

"I am confident the players have enough ability to stay in this division and I'm confident we'll do the organisational side of it and get prepared for games.

"The big thing that I am really still trying to find out about is the character of the players and whether they have the mental strengths to do it."